For all the rest of us horsey folk who are not currently in Arizona, while yet, another cold blast of winter comes in – fear not! I have come up with a Winter Survival Kit for surviving a Canadian winter. In Canada.

It was necessary. The lack of Vitamin D was making me a little cranky.

I decided that perhaps I should stop shooting at the snowman in our front yard and embrace winter instead. Find a few items and activities to help ease the cold winter blues. After all, the season doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon. I may as well get used to it.

Since I’m furthermore trying to leg up my mare to attend the NRCHA Celebration of Champions in February at this time, (Yes, I’ve decided I want to go. Depending on my mare and whether or not she is sound and physically able – another blog for another time,) there were a few necessities required to combat winter in the barn too.

So without further ado, here are my top 16 items to beat winter:

1. Mesh Rug from Back on Track – During the winter months, the Mesh Rug is the perfect blanket to be used as an extra rug underneath, as a transportation rug, or as a cooler. The Mesh Rug has a lining of polypropylene fabric infused with melted ceramic powder, offering your horse a variety of therapeutic benefits – all while your use it to dry your horse off after a winter ride! On the exterior, the rug has a thin mesh layer for maximum breathing qualities.

2. Yeehaw Liptints from Cowgirl Dirt – Any Canadian female knows how important it is to always have lip balm in your back-pocket in winter. But it’s even better if that lip balm has some sass. Introducing Cowgirl Dirt! These lightly citrus flavored lip tints are formulated to soothe and deeply hydrate your lips while adding the perfect color to finish off the cowgirl picture. Available in Hollywood Dun It, Flicka, Champion, Seabiscuit, plus many more!

3. Heated Hose from Pirit – If you have an unheated barn (like we do in our second facility), you’ll appreciate the benefits of a heated, heavy-duty hose. Pirit Heated Hoses are used to provide a constant source of water in freezing temperatures. Now available in approximately 12′, 25′, 50′ and 100′ lengths.

4. HV Polo Mercedes Sweater – Available from Greenhawk, this sweater features a fitted silhouette with an oversized collar and front pockets for additional storage. The full zip and fitted sleeve cuffs and bottom keep me warm in our unheated arena and stylish when I actually hit the town. For groceries. ‘Cause I’m a Mama. And that’s my big outing for the week. :)www.greenhawk.com

5. Furminator – With a 5″ deshedding edge, the Furminator can help reduce your horse’s winter shedding by up to 90%. Stainless steel deShedding edge reaches deep beneath your horse’s topcoat to gently remove undercoat and loose hair. Actually, it’s unbelievable how much hair comes out! Horses love it. There’s no pulling or tugging. Smooth and simple. Great for use now if you’re trying maintain your horse’s show coat in this nippy weather, or an absolute necessity come Spring.

6. Happy Toys, from The Happy Toymaker – If you have a farm kid, or two, the Happy Toymaker is guaranteed to craft you something with heirloom quality. Jerry Sims, better known as “The Happy Toy Maker” has been happily creating toys for kids that may single-handedly express the western way of life better than any other plaything around. Sims’ handmade trucks, trailers, rodeo arenas, feedlots, chutes, corrals and barn set-ups are as unique as they are comparable to the real thing. We recently had him make semi-trucks for our twins that represented their personalities. With brands, bucking horses, tractors and their individual names branded into the sides of these life-like toys, our kids finally have something no one else does!!www.thehappytoymaker.com

7. WET 998K, Muck Boots Canada – You need serious boots if you live in Canada. With stretch-fit topline binding, these boots from Muck Boots snug the calf to keep warmth in and cold out. 100% waterproof, lightweight and flexible this boot has a molded outsole that is rugged, aggressive and durable. With a comfort range of -28ºC and up, we have several pairs of these clogging up our front door…

8. Sno-Man Kit – If I were to pick one single item from this Winter Survival list, it would be this! With a kit complete with buttons, a hat and a carrot-nose, your kids will have everything they need to build a snowman. Then, take the blue, red and green Snow Markers to draw non-toxic images or play Tic-Tac-Toe in the snow. Great Canadian outdoor fun!

9. BioGel – Biogel is a soothing, grease-less therapeutic gel made from a unique blend of natural organic ingredients that has been veterinary tested and approved. Veterinarian studies confirm that wounds showed excellent healing speed and Biogel can promote the formation of healthy wound beds that persist without bandaging. In our circumstances, Biogel is a must for any horses with old wounds that have to face hard snow crusts in the pasture.

11. Waterless Shampoo – Get rid of unwanted green-spots in between baths with this rinse-free shampoo. Cleans and shines with even the toughest of spots and no sticky residue! Add in the nourishing extracts of alfalfa, rosemary and chamomile and Trot the Spot Rinse Free Shampoo is the perfect product to help your horse look and feel its best.

12. Ultimate Hoofpick – Are you tired of wimpy hoofpicks? The Ultimate Hoofpick was designed by a horse trainer who was fed up with picks that couldn’t hold their own when it came to yet, another hoof filled with concrete-like mud. Or in our case, snow and ice. An ergonomically correct, unbreakable handle with a rubber, easy grip and a wider pick angle makes this hoofpick a solid and effective tool. The Jackhammer of hoof care comes in two sizes and easily tackles packed-in mud and snow.www.ultimatehoofpick.com

13. Touch and Feel Ponies, Book – If your a Mom who understands the importance of books in your children’s young lives, you will love this little sturdy hard cover book! From furry manes to silky ribbons, this little book lets your kids explore all sorts of textures in a sturdy book that encourages preschool learning. Perfect when it’s too cold to outside!

14. Todd Bergen, “Framework of Performance” DVDs – When the mercury drops below -20 degrees Celsius, it’s just too darn cold to ride. So why not do some armchair riding instead? Todd Bergen recently released his new, “Framework for Performance” series and in this 2-DVD set, he explains his philosophies on body control, turnarounds, run-downs and stops, lead changes and cow work. Bergen gives viewers over 4.5 hours of cutting edge instruction – guaranteed to relay his real world approach to horse training.

15. Glysomed – There’s no way around dry, chapped hands in the dead of winter when you spend much of your time in a barn. Glysomed Hand Cream locks in moisture to relieve and help prevent dry skin. Plus, its triple-action formula of Glycerine, Silicone, and Chamomile provides indispensable care for rough and dry hands. You can take away the sun, you can take away the warm temperatures, but don’t touch my Glysomed! :)

16. Constructive Eating Utensils – Feeding kids creatively. These products have won numerous awards and since they are perfect at keeping children engaged during meals, it’s no wonder! With tractors, bulldozers and pink fairy garden tools fashioned into forks, spoons and “pushers,” these utensils help even the pickiest of eaters to have more productive meals. And since we recently struggled through the flu season, I found these nifty little tools very beneficial in encouraging my kids to consume chicken noodle soup when their appetites dwindled.